Countries around the world are issuing travel advisories against visiting the United States in the wake of recent mass shootings, which are a continuing trend. New Zealand warns that “attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places frequented by foreigners.” The Venezuelan foreign ministry accurately portrayed the situation: “Growing acts of violence have found echo and sustenance in the speeches and actions impregnated with racial discrimination and hatred against migrant populations pronounced and executed from the supremacist elite that hold political power in Washington.”
Americans seem to have degenerated into a deplorable collective. Their tolerance of violence, both by a gun-infested citizenry and so-called “law enforcement,” smacks of medieval barbarism. Similarly, American celebration of economic violence, including neglect of those in need and children, is legendary and long-standing.
Despite abundant evidence, internal criticism remains muted, despite a supposed unmuzzled press. Mainstream media appears continually nonplussed about the villainy which grips the nation. The country’s most prominent newspaper, The New York Times, pussyfoots about criticizing the racist sociopath President Donald Trump, as well as obvious omissions of reportage about the grievous struggles which ordinary citizens must endure to survive. When not fabricating distortions about the domestic situation or pointing out foreign foibles, the press largely prints stories of irrelevancies intended to entertain. The accelerating climate crisis is given only spotty coverage.
If the press is any indication, Americans apparently like to proverbially bury their heads in the sand. Americans have done practically nothing to reduce their egregious polluting habits so far this century, and so lead the world now only in fouling the environment, egregious cruelty (especially toward minorities and immigrants), and economic inequity.
A malevolent force, calling itself “Republican,” is responsible for the demise of American political decency. Republican culprits have captured controlling power in all branches of government across the country, including the courts, which are highly partisan and corrupt.
While the US is ostensibly a democracy, the Republicans have managed, with judicial backing, to rigorously rig elections. This is how Trump became President, and how Republicans typically stay in power. Despite their obvious corruption and ill intent to the well-being of the average citizen, Republicans have the reputed support of a large minority, notably ignorant whites (who appear to have no inkling of their own economic self-interest) and Christian religious fanatics (who are deranged in their beliefs, albeit well organized and effective in their societal impact).
The only possible political remedy is a party calling themselves “Democrat.” Democrats are a self-emasculating breed. Even when they gain power, they make scant protest, largely kowtowing to Republican policies. The ineffectual outliers who offer some outcry only highlight the self-imposed impotence of the Democrats as a political power.
In short, the major political parties support the status quo, which has meant adhering to kleptocratic plutocracy while preening to the basest urges which incite voters. Thus the American body politic has descended.
America’s decline from the mid-20th century has been astonishing. Americans have stood by for over a half century while Republican depravity degraded their country; a decomposition which has no end in sight. The historical parallel to Germany in thrall of Hitler is obvious, but renders American self-destruction even more mysterious, as there is no economic impetus (as there was when a bankrupted Germany took to Hitler’s promises of revival). Further, the deterioration of America has gone on for decades without the slightest attempt at sensible remedy, even by Democrats when they ostensibly held power (the neighing regimes of Bill Clinton and Barack Obama). From all appearances, it seems simply that America has collectively gone insane.
Sources:
Claire Parker, “Gun violence in America prompts a growing list of countries to issue travel warnings,” The Washington Post (7 August 2019).
Zack Budryk, “Democrats lash out at New York Times over early Trump ‘unity’ headline,” The Hill (6 August 2019).
Adam Liptak, “Supreme Court bars challenges to partisan gerrymandering,” The New York Times (27 June 2019).
Joe Heim, “Nancy Pelosi on impeaching Trump: ‘He’s just not worth it’,” The Washington Post (19 March 2019).